JDS CALLS FOR URGENT RELEASE OF LANKAENEWS JOURNALIST

A senior Sri Lankan journalist and the News Editor of Lanka-E-News website, Benett Rupasinghe, has been arrested today (March 31) by the Sri Lankan Police, dealing yet another blow to the already worsened media freedom and human rights situation in the country. Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka (JDS) condemns the outrageous arrest of Mr.Rupasinghe in the strongest terms while urging for his immediate release.

This is yet another act of intimidation against media freedom in general and Lanka-E-News in particular by the incumbent government of Sri Lanka.

Mr.Rupasinghe was arrested when he turned up at the police station on the invitation of the police to record a statement. This clearly shows the government is misusing police and judicial powers in addition to extra-legal methods against independent media in order to stifling dissent.

The office of the Lanka-E-News in the very outskirts of capital Colombo, was burnt down last month by an ‘unknown group’ of people. No one has been arrested to date in this regard. The Chief Editor of Lanka-E-News has already fled the country and is living in exile, fearing persecution.

The JDS appeals to all concerned groups and individuals to take necessary action to demand for immediate release of journalist Benett Rupasinghe.